Make Love Not War Read Online Free PDF Page B

work uniform, Caroline thought enviously as they strolled to the bus stop. Pity Harringtons didn’t supply uniforms, as well. It was hard trying to dress well besides pay her rent and other expenses, even though she earned good money now that Bryce had given her a raise.
    The bus lumbered to a halt. They climbed aboard and found a seat. She only went six stops, whereas Kerry continued on into the central business district.
    Harrington Constructions owned the multi-storied building, although they only occupied a couple of floors. Bryce had considerable money independent of his wealthy father, the rumor mill suggesting he dabbled in real estate and owned extensive vineyards in the Barossa Valley in South Australia. She’d discovered by accident one day that he owned several prestigious apartment blocks around Melbourne, also.
    She caught the elevator up to the fifth floor without seeing anyone. Once in her office she sat down, removed the cover from her typewriter and switched it on. Nothing left to be typed, thank goodness, so she tidied her desk drawers while waiting for Bryce to arrive.
    She always thought of him as Bryce but, of course, called him Mr. Harrington if she spoke of or to him. Closing her eyes, she let her mind drift. She had once overheard him describing her as mousy. 
    Mousy? He might as well have said ugly. “A plain little nobody” was her mother’s hurtful description. While she denigrated her, maternal pride overflowed for Andy. He could do no wrong. Fortunately, he hadn’t turned out spiteful like their mother.
    She had shed a few tears about her mother’s unflattering comments, but had wept bucketfuls over Bryce’s description of her. It couldn’t stop the way she felt about him, though. Her reward for enduring this was seeing him every day. How pathetic, like an affection-starved puppy content to accept a pat on the head from its master every now and again. On rare occasions he could be exceedingly charming. When he smiled, wow, he looked like a movie star.
    “I don’t pay you to daydream.”
    She shot back to the present to find Bryce hovering over her, an angry glint in his eye.
    “I’m sorry. I’ve been waiting for you to come in and give me some work.”
    No “Good morning, Caroline,” just a caustic comment designed to make her feel guilty. What was his problem?
    “Come on, pick up your book, we’ve got a lot to get through today.”
    His temper wasn’t any too sweet. Apparently his dinner date last night hadn’t done anything much for him. Without speaking she followed him into his office.
    “Right.”  He threw himself into his leather chair and faced her. Barely giving her time to flip open her notebook, he started dictating. Her pencil flew along the page. Her shorthand speed had more than doubled since she’d started working for him.
    “Hello, darling.”  Shereen St. Clair’s greeting interrupted them. She glided in wearing a peach-colored slack suit, which should have clashed with her red hair but somehow didn’t. Bryce stood, and Shereen went straight up to him and kissed him on the mouth.
    With bated breath Caroline waited for him to push the model to one side because of her own presence in the office. He didn’t. Instead he deepened the kiss to a long, passionate one as Caroline sat rooted to her chair. Shocked beyond belief, she watched his hand move to Shereen’s hip.
    Shereen obviously had no shame, either, brazenly twining her fingers into the dark hair at his nape. Caroline bit her lip to stop the jealous scream rising up in her throat. On legs that felt so weak she didn’t know how they supported her weight, she somehow made it to the door.
    “Close the door on the way out.” Bryce raised his head. “I don’t want to be interrupted on any account.”  She got the feeling he was deliberately trying to get her flustered.
    Shereen, giggling like a schoolgirl, locked her arms around his neck and kissed him again.
    With her notebook clutched in a